Renaud Foucart
@rfoucart.bsky.social
Economist at Lancaster University. IO, public policy, environment, experiments. Formerly ULB Bruxelles, Nuffield College, HU Berlin and Nottingham U.
renaudfoucart.com
renaudfoucart.com
I wrote about electricity prices in the UK in @uk.theconversation.com
theconversation.com/why-electric...
theconversation.com/why-electric...
Why electricity costs so much in the UK (it’s not all about the weather)
Many countries in Europe pay much less for their energy.
theconversation.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:21 AM
I wrote about electricity prices in the UK in @uk.theconversation.com
theconversation.com/why-electric...
theconversation.com/why-electric...
- high gas prices have driven up the price of electricity
- consumers pay surcharges on their bills to develop renewables
- renewables lower the price of electricity
- nuclear is complicated
- The UK has less sun than Spain.
Me in @uk.theconversation.com theconversation.com/why-electric...
- consumers pay surcharges on their bills to develop renewables
- renewables lower the price of electricity
- nuclear is complicated
- The UK has less sun than Spain.
Me in @uk.theconversation.com theconversation.com/why-electric...
Why electricity costs so much in the UK (it’s not all about the weather)
Many countries in Europe pay much less for their energy.
theconversation.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:56 PM
- high gas prices have driven up the price of electricity
- consumers pay surcharges on their bills to develop renewables
- renewables lower the price of electricity
- nuclear is complicated
- The UK has less sun than Spain.
Me in @uk.theconversation.com theconversation.com/why-electric...
- consumers pay surcharges on their bills to develop renewables
- renewables lower the price of electricity
- nuclear is complicated
- The UK has less sun than Spain.
Me in @uk.theconversation.com theconversation.com/why-electric...
People love to be in control. They also love to take credit for success and blame others for failures. When we offer subjects a chance to delegate to a lottery that might pick their choice or someone else's, they stop being control freaks (1/6) (in econ letters) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
October 23, 2025 at 8:33 AM
People love to be in control. They also love to take credit for success and blame others for failures. When we offer subjects a chance to delegate to a lottery that might pick their choice or someone else's, they stop being control freaks (1/6) (in econ letters) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
So, here in sunny Lancaster, we have this rockstar student on the market this year. Before him, the world thought that increasing the number of economic graduates (the best paid ones) should strongly decrease their salaries. Joseph shows it is not the case. (1/3)
I'm happy to share my job market paper.
It asks a simple but classic question: to what extent are graduate wages affected by the supply of graduate labour in the economy?
🧵
It asks a simple but classic question: to what extent are graduate wages affected by the supply of graduate labour in the economy?
🧵
October 11, 2025 at 12:25 PM
So, here in sunny Lancaster, we have this rockstar student on the market this year. Before him, the world thought that increasing the number of economic graduates (the best paid ones) should strongly decrease their salaries. Joseph shows it is not the case. (1/3)
Reposted by Renaud Foucart
I'm happy to share my job market paper.
It asks a simple but classic question: to what extent are graduate wages affected by the supply of graduate labour in the economy?
🧵
It asks a simple but classic question: to what extent are graduate wages affected by the supply of graduate labour in the economy?
🧵
October 8, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I'm happy to share my job market paper.
It asks a simple but classic question: to what extent are graduate wages affected by the supply of graduate labour in the economy?
🧵
It asks a simple but classic question: to what extent are graduate wages affected by the supply of graduate labour in the economy?
🧵
The world is ageing - what can we learn from Europe's difficulties to make an old world a happy one? Me, in TIME time.com/7320745/boom...
The Global Economy Has a Boomer Problem
The generation that gave itself a wealthy retirement is hurting young people today. It doesn't have to be this way, writes Renaud Foucart.
time.com
September 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
The world is ageing - what can we learn from Europe's difficulties to make an old world a happy one? Me, in TIME time.com/7320745/boom...
I guess it's time to open Thomas Schelling again! What should Europe (and the US???) do to get us closer to peace as Russia is probing attacks on Eastern Europe? Four points. (1/7)
September 10, 2025 at 9:14 AM
I guess it's time to open Thomas Schelling again! What should Europe (and the US???) do to get us closer to peace as Russia is probing attacks on Eastern Europe? Four points. (1/7)
Reposted by Renaud Foucart
Yes, François Bayrou precipitated his own downfall, but at least the 74-year old outgoing PM broached the politically explosive topic of how boomers benefit above the odds from the French state, argues @lancasteruni.bsky.social’s @rfoucart.bsky.social 🇫🇷
Full itw ⤵️
f24.my/BPzV
Full itw ⤵️
f24.my/BPzV
'Intergenerational fairness': In final speech to parliament, Bayrou unveils how pension is funded
f24.my
September 9, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Yes, François Bayrou precipitated his own downfall, but at least the 74-year old outgoing PM broached the politically explosive topic of how boomers benefit above the odds from the French state, argues @lancasteruni.bsky.social’s @rfoucart.bsky.social 🇫🇷
Full itw ⤵️
f24.my/BPzV
Full itw ⤵️
f24.my/BPzV
I wrote on a paradox of the latest Google ruling: as time passes, even illegal monopolies disappear because of innovation. Monopolies may actually encourage radical innovation. But this also means zero accountability for those who break the rules.
theconversation.com/google-avoid...
theconversation.com/google-avoid...
Google avoids being dismantled after US court battle – and it’s down to the rise of AI
AI poses a risk to Google’s main revenue source: online advertising.
theconversation.com
September 5, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wrote on a paradox of the latest Google ruling: as time passes, even illegal monopolies disappear because of innovation. Monopolies may actually encourage radical innovation. But this also means zero accountability for those who break the rules.
theconversation.com/google-avoid...
theconversation.com/google-avoid...
Perhaps the one absolute success of 14 years of Conservative party rule in the UK will be claimed by no one www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
August 13, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Perhaps the one absolute success of 14 years of Conservative party rule in the UK will be claimed by no one www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
Reposted by Renaud Foucart
How can central banks deliver difficult messages when politicians say they're "morons"?
With difficulty... because people don't like listening to outsiders.
Lagarde has more difficulty reaching Italians and Draghi (and vice versa)
My @financialtimes.com newsletter
ft.com/content/2082...
With difficulty... because people don't like listening to outsiders.
Lagarde has more difficulty reaching Italians and Draghi (and vice versa)
My @financialtimes.com newsletter
ft.com/content/2082...
July 8, 2025 at 12:44 PM
How can central banks deliver difficult messages when politicians say they're "morons"?
With difficulty... because people don't like listening to outsiders.
Lagarde has more difficulty reaching Italians and Draghi (and vice versa)
My @financialtimes.com newsletter
ft.com/content/2082...
With difficulty... because people don't like listening to outsiders.
Lagarde has more difficulty reaching Italians and Draghi (and vice versa)
My @financialtimes.com newsletter
ft.com/content/2082...
To benefit from advice, you need to follow advice first! Our experiment on chess players and why a world democratising access to expertise will not necessarily be a more equal one, is now published in JEBO. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
When expert advice fails to reduce the productivity gap: Experimental evidence from chess players
We study the impact of external advice on the relative performance of chess players. We asked players in chess tournaments to evaluate positions in pa…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 4, 2025 at 1:04 PM
To benefit from advice, you need to follow advice first! Our experiment on chess players and why a world democratising access to expertise will not necessarily be a more equal one, is now published in JEBO. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Renaud Foucart
We were lucky enough to have our YouGov/The Economist poll in field when the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities. You can see the partisan realignment in real time
June 27, 2025 at 11:33 AM
We were lucky enough to have our YouGov/The Economist poll in field when the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities. You can see the partisan realignment in real time
In this piece, I very strongly argue that I have no strong views on whether spending £14bn on a new nuclear reactor is a good idea. But I try to make what I think is the best possible case for it. theconversation.com/nuclear-ener...
Nuclear energy is a risky investment, but that’s no reason for the UK government to avoid it
National energy shouldn’t rely on private or foreign money.
theconversation.com
June 13, 2025 at 1:50 PM
In this piece, I very strongly argue that I have no strong views on whether spending £14bn on a new nuclear reactor is a good idea. But I try to make what I think is the best possible case for it. theconversation.com/nuclear-ener...
I wrote in @uk.theconversation.com about the price of everything and our aversion to talk about tradeoffs.
(in the context of the UK's review of its green book to evaluate public investments) theconversation.com/where-should...
(in the context of the UK's review of its green book to evaluate public investments) theconversation.com/where-should...
Where should governments spend your money? The impossible maths of political and moral decisions
Behind every hospital and railway is a cost-benefit calculation.
theconversation.com
June 11, 2025 at 8:52 PM
I wrote in @uk.theconversation.com about the price of everything and our aversion to talk about tradeoffs.
(in the context of the UK's review of its green book to evaluate public investments) theconversation.com/where-should...
(in the context of the UK's review of its green book to evaluate public investments) theconversation.com/where-should...
Completely lost at the "AI means everyone is cheating at University" discourse.
I teach in 2 universities, we have in-person invigilated exams. AI can help for coursework but it's our job as teacher to still make the work useful.
What is the problem exactly? Have some places no exam anymore?
I teach in 2 universities, we have in-person invigilated exams. AI can help for coursework but it's our job as teacher to still make the work useful.
What is the problem exactly? Have some places no exam anymore?
May 8, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Completely lost at the "AI means everyone is cheating at University" discourse.
I teach in 2 universities, we have in-person invigilated exams. AI can help for coursework but it's our job as teacher to still make the work useful.
What is the problem exactly? Have some places no exam anymore?
I teach in 2 universities, we have in-person invigilated exams. AI can help for coursework but it's our job as teacher to still make the work useful.
What is the problem exactly? Have some places no exam anymore?
I love you, @theguardian.com, I truly do. But could you not refrain from those regular pieces "champagne reduce risk of cardic arrest," "coffee is good for you."
All it would take is one employee with basic training in causal inference with a veto right. Please.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
All it would take is one employee with basic training in causal inference with a veto right. Please.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Drinking champagne could reduce risk of sudden cardiac arrest, study suggests
Maintaining a positive mood and eating more fruit may also help lower risk, researchers find
www.theguardian.com
April 30, 2025 at 9:49 AM
I love you, @theguardian.com, I truly do. But could you not refrain from those regular pieces "champagne reduce risk of cardic arrest," "coffee is good for you."
All it would take is one employee with basic training in causal inference with a veto right. Please.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
All it would take is one employee with basic training in causal inference with a veto right. Please.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
I used to believe some people were angry at the use of lotteries in school choice for selfish reasons -- in the hope of gaming the system or keeping segregated schools.
Our paper, now out in Games and Economic Behavior, tells the story of how I was at least partly wrong: (1/11)
Our paper, now out in Games and Economic Behavior, tells the story of how I was at least partly wrong: (1/11)
April 22, 2025 at 10:44 AM
I used to believe some people were angry at the use of lotteries in school choice for selfish reasons -- in the hope of gaming the system or keeping segregated schools.
Our paper, now out in Games and Economic Behavior, tells the story of how I was at least partly wrong: (1/11)
Our paper, now out in Games and Economic Behavior, tells the story of how I was at least partly wrong: (1/11)
If you ever felt bad for a mistake in your exam questions, the 10,000-candidate EU translator exam is cancelled because they set a multiple choice questionnaire as a multiple answer
April 15, 2025 at 9:36 AM
If you ever felt bad for a mistake in your exam questions, the 10,000-candidate EU translator exam is cancelled because they set a multiple choice questionnaire as a multiple answer
m.youtube.com/watch?v=elSe...
Spoke to fr24 about the new "people against the judges" country: France
Spoke to fr24 about the new "people against the judges" country: France
Far-right supporters rally across France on Sunday over Marine Le Pen’s conviction • FRANCE 24
YouTube video by FRANCE 24 English
m.youtube.com
April 6, 2025 at 1:10 PM
m.youtube.com/watch?v=elSe...
Spoke to fr24 about the new "people against the judges" country: France
Spoke to fr24 about the new "people against the judges" country: France
@theguardian.com has a very long explanation of why the UK got the 10% tariff and why it is genius diplomacy without even mentioning it was applied the exact same (x-m)/2m formula as everyone else
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘It could’ve been much worse’: how UK avoided a bigger blow from Trump tariffs
No 10 has been criticised for ‘sucking up’ to Donald Trump, but believes its defensive strategy has been vindicated
www.theguardian.com
April 5, 2025 at 7:03 AM
@theguardian.com has a very long explanation of why the UK got the 10% tariff and why it is genius diplomacy without even mentioning it was applied the exact same (x-m)/2m formula as everyone else
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Renaud Foucart
I am hiring a Junior Economics Researcher at UPF Barcelona. Please apply if you are interested macro, market power, labor
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/332002
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #Economics #JobAlert
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/332002
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #Economics #JobAlert
Full Time Research Collaborator Position at UPF Barcelona with Prof. Jan Eeckhout
H2020-Adg-Market Power and Secular Macroeconomic Trends- 882499 is looking to hire a highly motivated research assistant for a pre-doctoralposition, based at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain...
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
April 4, 2025 at 11:50 AM
I am hiring a Junior Economics Researcher at UPF Barcelona. Please apply if you are interested macro, market power, labor
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/332002
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #Economics #JobAlert
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/332002
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #Economics #JobAlert
Playing it nice and giving enough rope for the US admin to climb down, or going nuclear with the EU anti coercion instrument and ending US intellectual property right? Me in The Conversation: theconversation.com/how-the-uk-a...
How the UK and Europe could respond to Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs
One bizarre consequence of Trump’s tariff wars could be the chance to watch Netflix for free.
theconversation.com
April 3, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Playing it nice and giving enough rope for the US admin to climb down, or going nuclear with the EU anti coercion instrument and ending US intellectual property right? Me in The Conversation: theconversation.com/how-the-uk-a...
Having an office in Ireland will become, more than ever, the place to be for fiscal optimization. Pay RoI tax. Send to NI via Windsor framework. Export to the US at 10%.
April 2, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Having an office in Ireland will become, more than ever, the place to be for fiscal optimization. Pay RoI tax. Send to NI via Windsor framework. Export to the US at 10%.
I don't know if tariff retaliation with the US is good or useful, but in a post WTO world, the most obvious sector to tax without hurting domestic producers is digital services: Amazon, Google, Meta, ... not car parts and industrial components. Might also be politically astute.
March 28, 2025 at 7:43 AM
I don't know if tariff retaliation with the US is good or useful, but in a post WTO world, the most obvious sector to tax without hurting domestic producers is digital services: Amazon, Google, Meta, ... not car parts and industrial components. Might also be politically astute.